Lions Club Carnival kicks off July 2

Fireworks will light up the sky, the screams of children on rides will be heard and the smell of hamburgers and more carnival food will be wafting at Rolla Lions Club Park next week.

The sights, sounds and smells are all part of the 79th annual Rolla Lions Club Carnival, which takes places Wednesday, July 2, through Saturday, July 5. The annual carnival takes place each year around the Fourth of July holiday.

Ticket booths will open at 5:30 p.m. each night. Both the food stands and the rides will open at 6 p.m. followed by carnival games opening at 7 p.m.

Wristband nights this year will be Thursday, July 3, from 6 p.m. to close for $25 and Saturday, July 5, from noon to 4 p.m. for $20 and from 6 p.m. to close for $25.

There will be two fireworks shows this year — one Wednesday, July 2, at 11 p.m. and the other Friday, July 4, will be July 4 at 11 p.m.

James Tharp, chairman of the carnival this year, said the bigger show will be July 4. Premier Pyrotechnics of Richland will again be doing the show this year.

Tharp said the best view of the fireworks over the lake will be on the carnival grounds.

As in past years, the Rolla Lions Club is again holding a drawing for a car.

Tickets for the 2014 ruby red Mustang Convertible are $1 each or six for $5. Tickets may be purchased from any Rolla Lions Club member, at the carnival or at Speed Lube at Kingshighway and U.S. Highway 63 in Rolla, Tharp said.

The drawing will be held at midnight Sunday, July 6. There will be drawings for other prizes at 10 p.m. July 2-4.

Visitors to the carnival this year will notice an improved food court, which Tharp said Lions Club members have been working on this past year.

Tharp said with the new food court, people will not have to stand in multiple lines to get food. Signs will direct carnival-goers where to go in the food court.

“They’ll be able to get their food a lot easier,” said Tharp.

There will also be ice cream for sale on the carnival grounds this year.

Most of same the games and rides as last year will be offered again this year, Tharp said.

“It’s free to get in and it’s free to park,” Tharp reminded carnival-goers.

Tharp said the biggest reason for people to attend the carnival is that every dollar spent at the carnival goes back to the community.

Money raised from the carnival goes to fund scholarships, maintain the park, support youth baseball, softball and soccer programs.

“All the stuff we (as the Lions Club) do, we couldn’t do it without the carnival,” Tharp said.